


lost sheep

by Ford_Ye_Fiji



Series: and love will be your teacher [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Iroh is a good dad, LOOK I CANT OKAY, Ozai is a literal dumpster maaaaan a flaming trash garbage man, Poor Azula, but it’s waaaay cuter and fluffier than my usual fare, but that’s not saying much, too cute for me, yes there is angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-29 06:28:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20958746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ford_Ye_Fiji/pseuds/Ford_Ye_Fiji
Summary: A series of moments taking place in the first year after Ozai's fatal mistake, Azulon's one good act in his life, and the singular event that changed everything.





	lost sheep

**Author's Note:**

> This is the second work in a series so you should probably read the other one first or else this might not make much sense XD

Iroh's eyes softened as Zuko morosely fed the Turtleducks. These weren’t from the pond that the young prince normally tended too, that pond was in his brother's, Ozai's, wing of the palace. Zuko hadn’t been back to that pond since the stayed execution. Azulon's command had been quite clear. Zuko was never to see Ozai or Azula again, it must be as if he had died. Ursa had somehow persuaded Zuko's grandfather to let her see him occasionally, and while those visits were few and far between, it was enough. 

The turtleducks quacked softly, gathering around Zuko like he was their mother. Zuko sighed and pet them softly, slipping them bread from his sleeves.

Iroh's lips turned up. 

No wonder they had gotten so fat.

Iroh quietly strode forward. Zuko turned with wide eyes, the turtleducks scattering at his approach. Zuko scrambled to his feet but Iroh waved him down. The prince bit his lip and sat back down again in the grass. Iroh lowered himself to the ground with a tired grunt. 

Iroh smiled conspiratorially in the silence and pulled a piece of bread from his sleeve, "Prince Zuko, you are not the only one who has been feeding these greedy birds."

Zuko smiled tentatively at his uncle. 

Iroh broke off a piece of bread and handed it to Zuko. He took it carefully and began breaking off crumbs for the eager birds. Iroh spoke again, "How are you finding things, Zuko?"

Zuko blinked with surprise, "I am well, Uncle- Ah, Father." He flushed, "Sorry."

Iroh patted the boys shoulder, "It is no matter, Prince Zuko. I often find myself ready to address you as nephew." 

Zuko tilted his head, "Really? I... I thought..." 

"That men like me and Ozai do not make such silly mistakes sometimes? No, Prince Zuko, everyone slips up, even your grandfather has errors in judgment." 

Zuko gaped and then looked around, as if afraid Fire Lord Azulon would appear to strike down Iroh for speaking such blasphemies. Iroh continued blissfully, "Indeed, you’ll find that sometimes children can be far wiser than their forebearers." 

Zuko pet a turtleduck absentmindedly, "Really? But... I thought- the fire nation, I mean... Surely the fire nation doesn’t make mistakes. After all, that’s what the war is for. To share our wisdom and prosperity with the earth kingdom and water tribes." 

Iroh's brow softened. He’d thought so too, once, over six hundred days ago. The exposure to battle, the horrors of war, the brutality of Lu Ten's death and the abuse of any war prisoners had quickly changed his mind. Sozin’s true purpose for the war had been conquest and the only reasons for the water tribe's and earth kingdom's new devastation was the very same war supposedly bringing them great wealth. 

"Prince Zuko, the fire nation is only as great and infallible as the people living in it. The wisdom of the Fire Lord  _is_ the wisdom of the fire nation." 

Zuko stared into the pond, clearly having never thought about it that way. His brows furrowed, "What if the- the Fire Lord makes the wrong decision then? What then?" 

"Why, Prince Zuko, then the fire nation and consequently the world, will suffer dearly for it." 

Zuko looked up at his uncle turned father earnestly, "Do you think... are you saying the war might be wrong?" 

Iroh laughed, dodging the question, "Oh, my son. You must come to your own conclusions from the evidence. Do not take what I or anyone else says for granted, not unless they have seen for themselves the true impact of war." 

Zuko nodded. 

Iroh eyed the position of the sun and nodded, slowly pushing himself to his feet. Zuko rose with him. Iroh huffed, "And I believe Agni is right. It is time for a pot of tea. Would you like some, Zuko?" 

Zuko still seemed to be dwelling on their conversation. Good. The boy should think for himself and come to his own conclusions. Zuko shook himself from his thoughts, shyly looking up under his lashes, "Ozai always said tea was... was for girls." 

Iroh's lip curled in distaste. His brother never ceased to find ways to displease him. Iroh shook his away his disdain and smiled at his young charge, "Why, tea time is the most important time of the day, Prince Zuko, girl or boy." 

He nodded, placing the turtleduck he'd been holding back into the cool water of the pond. He still seemed hesitant and Iroh nodded his head, a conspiratorial twinkle in his eye, "Besides, Ozai is not here to disapprove." 

Zuko had always wanted to please his father, hadn’t he? That had always been his goal. To make him proud. However, wasn't Iroh his father now? At least according to the indisputable will of the Fire Lord. 

Zuko made his decision, "I... I like jasmine tea." 

Iroh grinned broadly, "Really? Why that’s my favorite too." 

The two walked across the expansive gardens and disappeared, side by side, into the palace. 

* * *

He finds himself missing Lu Ten. He’d thought getting away from Ba Sing Se, from the war for a little while would help. Instead he finds the most exquisite torture in the form of young prince Zuko, his new unexpected charge. 

The similarities between his two boys sometimes struck a chord in his chest, making his lungs suddenly out of breath in the way that firebenders had been taught to avoid in youth. 

Lu Ten had doted on turtleducks in the same manner Zuko did, though he was far more bold in his antics, often bringing them into Iroh's room on purpose to surprise him. Zuko was timid, sneaking them into his own room and turning pale when Iroh found them despite his best efforts to hide them. Zuko had stuttered and stammered and apologized profusely. He’d been even more surprised when Iroh had laughed and told him it was more than welcome. 

He'd managed to hide his wet eyes from Zuko in that particular instance. 

The first time Zuko had laughed, really _truly_ laughed, Iroh hadn’t quite been able to separate his memories of Lu Ten from the present. They’d become hopelessly tangled together, intertwined in a web of his own making.

The first time Zuko doesn't trip over calling him father, neither of them really noticed it. At least not until later, when Iroh is sitting in on a war meeting and realizes that he had. It had felt perfectly right and natural. 

Eventually, he finds he can’t quite remember what Lu Ten sounded like, after awhile. In fact, in his memories, Lu Ten sounds curiously like Zuko. 

Iroh's discordant pain doesn’t diminish, its still raw and sharp, a pain as constant as breathing nestled under his ribs and lodged deep in his chest. If anything it hurts more when he's with Zuko, the spitting image of Lu Ten at that age. A reminder of all that had been and all that would not be. 

However, while Zuko does exacerbate it, somehow, at the same time, he soothes it, like cool water poured over a roiling fire. He is both the problem and the cure. He both harms and heals Iroh's weary heavy heart. 

It is the most exquisite agony, and yet, Iroh wouldn’t change it for the world. 

* * *

"Ah, yes, good Zuko! Excellent form! Let’s go through it one more time." 

Zuko paused breathlessly, face flushed with embarrassment, "But unc- Father, I- I didn’t produce any flame. Isn’t that... isn’t that unacceptable?" 

Iroh, folded his hands into the wide sleeves of his robe, grateful that he had dismissed their small audience. The prince didn’t need spectators tittering behind their sleeves at his mistakes and driving him to frustration. Zuko had after all, inherited Ozai's and Azulon's fiery temper. Anger rarely helped solve problems. 

Iroh soothed him, "Zuko, you are doing quite well for someone your age. In fact, I would dare say you are doing better." 

Zuko frowned, "But- but Azula has mastered all of these forms already-“ 

Iroh chuckled, “Azula has yes. But Azula is a veritable prodigy." 

Zuko huffed, the seed of bitterness in his words, "Azula was born lucky." 

Iroh snorted, "Yes, she was..."

Zuko sighed, kicking the dust, "And I was lucky to be born." 

Iroh raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me?" 

Zuko shrank back from the sudden touch of steel in Iroh's voice, "It’s just something fath- I- I mean, Ozai always said." 

Iroh's brow narrowed, "Zuko. Azula was born lucky, but Ozai was the one lucky to have you, do you understand?"

Zuko's brows furrowed in puzzlement, "But... my- my _awful_ firebending-“

Iroh sighed, "Azula is indeed a better firebender than you, yes. In fact, regarding everything but experience, Azula probably is an even better firebender than Ozai." 

Zuko blinked and Iroh shifted, "However, Azula never had to work for her talent. You, you have struggled through sweat and tears to achieve as much as you have now. That determination, that grit, that struggle to overcome any problem gives you an advantage over Azula. The ability to overcome great problems and hardship, that is what you possess that she does not have. Your kindness, your determination- _that_ is what makes you greater."

Zuko didn’t really seem to believe him. At least not yet, but Iroh would make sure that he learned in time. And maybe, in time, the boy would be able to add great wisdom to that list. 

For now, Iroh was content in watching him grow, slowly but surely, "Well that and you also have me, and that is something I don’t think Azula has either." 

Zuko snickered. 

Iroh beamed, proud of his ability to draw rare snatches of laughter from Zuko. That was a skill few possessed, and if he thought about it, something he treasured far more than his own extensive skill at firebending. 

* * *

Zuko hastily dropped the wooden practice sword, "I was doing forms!” He threw himself into a bow, head to the floor, "I’m sorry!" 

Iroh frowned, "I’m not angry with you, Prince Zuko." 

Zuko peered up after him, golden eyes wide, "You’re... you’re not?" 

Iroh took a step forward, "Perhaps disappointed," Zuko looked even more pale at that and Iroh quickly corrected himself, "Disappointed that you did not tell me you wished to practice swordplay. I would’ve found an instructor for you." 

Zuko seemed all too astonished at this, "It’s... it’s not bad?" 

"Why on earth would sword fighting be bad, Zuko?"

Zuko swallowed, "Well... it’s- it’s inferior to firebending!" 

Iroh's lips quirked up, "Zuko, what did I say about letting others come to the conclusions?" 

Zuko scrambled to his feet, "To make my own informed decisions!" 

"Exactly. Now why is swordplay bad?" 

"Because..."Zuko sighed, "Because Ozai told me it was." 

Iroh shook his head, "My brother continues to be a bit of an imbecile I see." 

Zuko snorted and then clapped his hands for his mouth with shock. Iroh considered it a considerable miracle that Zuko was realizing that Ozai was not the wise, all knowing, person he thought he was. That bit of choked laughter was a sign of immense progress. 

Iroh smiled, "Zuko, being adept at sword fighting as well as firebending is a most useful skill. As you know, an eclipse completely stops a firebender's power. Being able to protect yourself in such an instance is most wise. In fact, I believe I will have it added to your practices, Prince Zuko." 

Zuko blinked, picking up the fallen sword, "Will I have an instructor?" 

Iroh smiled, "Why yes, the finest master swordsmen I can find." He added, "Though with those moves I saw you working through, I think you are already quite close to mastering them. In fact, I’d dare say that you are naturally talented at swordplay." 

Zuko murmured, "Like... like a prodigy?" 

"Perhaps." 

Zuko practically glowed, beaming brightly. What had Ozai ever done to have a child such as Zuko? The boy bowed, "Thank you, father!"

It was Iroh's turn to blink in astonishment as Zuko turned and pattered from the courtyard, skipping away as light as air. 

* * *

Iroh had cancelled everything for today and Zuko, despite everyone telling him otherwise, was worried. Iroh hadn’t been seen since last night and it was nearing noon now. 

It had nearly been a year since Azulon's proclamation and since he’d seen Ozai. Azula he’d discovered, he could spot occasionally from afar on the other side of the palace. He missed her, but not in any real sense. The Azula he missed had disappeared long ago, beaten down to ashes from the moment it was clear just how gifted she was. 

Zuko shook his head and carefully looked around the corridor. He’d heard the servants whispering that Iroh had sequestered himself in his chambers. Normally, Zuko would never dare to intrude on his father like this- Ozai certainly would never have allowed it, but Iroh was of an altogether different metal. 

Zuko carefully crept across the carpet and, glancing furtively around, gently pushed open the door with his free hand. 

He knew everyone thought he was a fool, but he knew what day it was. Today was the day that Lu Ten had died, exactly one year ago. About three years since he had last laid eyes on his cousin, the always laughing friend he remembered now just a distant memory. 

Zuko carefully placed the tray he’d been holding down onto the small table. He could see the flicker of candles from the conjoining room. He picked up the cup, concentrating with furrowed brow. He was rewarded with the steam of hot tea as his palms began to warm it. Zuko smiled with triumph and then blew on the tea carefully. 

Slowly Zuko approached the doorframe and peered in. Iroh's back was to the door, candles sputtering around him. Zuko could just make out a battered portrait of Lu Ten in front of him. Zuko carefully knelt down and placed the tea down on the ground.

Should he go? 

The thick cloying incense in the room made the decision for him. 

Zuko sneezed.  


Iroh turned at the noise, and his eyes softened at the sight of his suddenly mortified and vaguely guilty looking son, a cup of hot tea under his fingers. 

Iroh gave him a watery smile, "Zuko." 

Zuko rushed to give an explanation, "I’m sorry, father, I just- I knew what day it was and..." Iroh picked up the cup of tea carefully and placed it to his right. Zuko continued nervously, unsure of himself, "and- I thought you might like some jasmine tea- I know it’s your favorite and-“ 

Iroh reached forward and to his surprise yanked him into a hug, a desperate, dripping-with-hopeless-love sort of hug. Zuko flailed for a second, before his hands settled, clinging to Iroh's back with a sad fondness. Iroh murmured into his shoulder, "Thank you, Zuko. I greatly appreciate it."

Zuko smiled and nestled his chin in the crook of Iroh's shoulder as if he’d always belonged there, breathing in the comforting scent of spice and flame, "You're welcome, father." 

**Author's Note:**

> Hit me up on tumblr here: https://ford-ye-fiji.tumblr.com/


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